Desire \De*sire"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desired; p. pr. & vb.
n. Desiring.] [F. d['e]sirer, L. desiderare, origin
uncertain, perh. fr. de- + sidus star, constellation, and
hence orig., to turn the eyes from the stars. Cf. Consider,
and Desiderate, and see Sidereal.]
1. To long for; to wish for earnestly; to covet.
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Neither shall any man desire thy land. --Ex. xxxiv.
24.
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Ye desire your child to live. --Tennyson.
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2. To express a wish for; to entreat; to request.
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Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? --2
Kings iv. 28.
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Desire him to go in; trouble him no more. --Shak.
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3. To require; to demand; to claim. [Obs.]
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A doleful case desires a doleful song. --Spenser.
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4. To miss; to regret. [Obs.]
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She shall be pleasant while she lives, and desired
when she dies. --Jer. Taylor.
Syn: To long for; hanker after; covet; wish; ask; request;
solicit; entreat; beg.
Usage: To Desire, Wish. In desire the feeling is usually
more eager than in wish. "I wish you to do this" is a
milder form of command than "I desire you to do this,"
though the feeling prompting the injunction may be the
same. --C. J. Smith.
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